U.S. Pat. No. 410,778 to Bidwell discloses an apparatus for use in the exercising of the wrists, forearms, and fingers, consisting of a supporting attachment, an elastic strap secured thereto, and finger and hand attachments arranged for connection with the supporting attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,498,006 to Ridill describes a device for training in golf including an elongated member having at least a part thereof resiliently stretchable, a wrist encircling element at one end of the member adapted to be attached to the wrist of a person, and a device at the opposite end of the member adapted to be attached to the heel of a foot of the person, the elongated member being of such length that when connected with the wrist and heel and extended around the outside of the leg carrying the foot it yieldingly resists upward movement of the arm and yieldingly draws upwardly on the heel when the arm is raised, and the member being freely swingable across the front of the person when the arm with, which the member is connected swings from one side to the other as in a golf stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,565 to Burdenko teaches a universal exercise machine comprising a bell portion, which is to be fixed as a conventional belt to the waist of the user. The belt portion has on its upper and lower sides rings for the attachment of elastic straps which are connected to the hands, legs, and head of the user, for various exercises based on the application of force required for the stretching of the elastic straps. A distinguishing feature of the machine is the provision of an integrated back support, which may comprise a portion of the belt, or a part connected to the belt portion. The back support has a transverse rigidity greater than the remaining part of the belt portion. Another unique feature of the machine is the provision of floating elements which imparts to the user buoyancy for exercising in the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,437 to Olschansky, et al. discloses a system particularly directed to exercising gluteal and thigh muscles. The system includes a longitudinally extended handle member and assembly for engaging a heel portion of a user's foot. A resistive force assembly is coupled on a first end to a central portion of the handle member and on an opposing second end to the heel engagement assembly. The resistive force assembly includes an inelastic resistive force subassembly having an inelastic strap member coupled on a first end to handle member and a second end formed in a closed contour. Inelastic resistive force subassembly includes an adjustment buckle for adjusting an overall length dimension of the inelastic strap member. Resistive force assembly includes an elastic resistive force subassembly defined by an elastic strap member having opposing ends thereof coupled to a heel engagement assembly and an intermediate section thereof slidingly coupled to the closed contoured end of inelastic strap member. Heel engagement assembly includes a first band member coupled on opposing ends to respective opposing ends of elastic strap member, a second band member coupled on opposing ends to respective opposing ends of band member, and extending in a transverse direction relative thereto, and a third band member releasably coupled between opposing ends of the first band member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,954 to Wilkinson describes a buttock exercise device. The invention lets the user perform, a whole group of buttock developing motions, working the muscle from many different angles. These motions are enhanced, through the addition of resistance. The resistance may be varied by adjusting the length of the cords and/or interchanging cords of different elastic strengths. The exercise device further has cords and a shoulder and/or neck piece attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,539 to Wise teaches a kinesiology testing apparatus which includes a base. A foot treadle is provided having a first end and a second end. The first end is pivotally attached to the base. A line is provided having a first end and a second end. The second end is secured adjacent to the second end of the foot treadle. Means are provided for securing the first end of the line to a person's arm. When a person has his arm extended out parallel to a floor, a downward force exerted by a foot of the person upon the foot treadle is transmits, via the line, a downward force upon the person's arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,947 to Glover discloses an isometric wrist exercise device which is useful for strengthening the wrist and for treating or alleviating symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome device includes a wrist brace which adjustably encircles a user's wrist. The brace is attached to a swivel plate via a plurality of straps which extend forward from the wrist brace. The swivel plate is attached to an elongate strap with a wedge plate on its opposite end. The wedge plate can secure the elongate strap in a stationary position such that the user can place his wrist in therapeutic traction by pulling his arm against the stationary strap while selectively swiveling his wrist to find the optimum position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,626 to Taylor describes an adjustable resistance exercise device. A continuous loop foot strap is connected to a bungee cord by an O-ring. An opposite end of the bungee cord is looped through a flexible handle and back through a clamping device. A push button actuator permits the size of the handle loop to be adjusted to adjust the overall length of the device to a) enable a different user to adjust the device for her/his needs, b) alter the configuration for use in a different exercise, or c) increase the resistance force afforded by the device as repetition of the various exercises results in strengthening of various muscle groups. Illustrative exercises are discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,258 to Emlaw teaches an exercising device including a short strap having an interior surface and an exterior surface with a first end and a second end and an intermediate extent. A first pile-type fastener is provided on the interior surface and a second pile-type fastener on the interior surface. A large buckle has parallel end plates with parallel first and second end cross pieces and a central cross piece. The first end cross piece receives the first end. A long strap has a first end constituting a handle. An intermediate extent of the long strap is coupled to the exterior surface of the short strap.
United States Patent Application 20050137063 by Abdo discloses an exercising device including an elongated tube with a central axis that is filled with a particulate material of a selected weight. The particulate material shifts within the elongated tube to provide flexibility along the length of the tube and wherein the elongated tube compresses when pressure is applied thereto.
United States Patent Application 20060183609 by applicant herein describes a strap apparatus for stretching and strengthening muscles and connective tissue, and includes a segment of strap material having a first end, a medial portion, and a second end, having a loop formed in the first end, length adjustment means formed in the medial portion, and a connector element attached to the second end. The connector element is adapted for releasable connection to an anchor article, e.g., an extremity cuff member or a clothing article, bearing a receiver adapted for releasable attachment to the connector element.
The foregoing patents and patent applications reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents and applications is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents or applications disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.